The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimberly, the Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!
This week I’m also participating in The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz, and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.
The Past Week
In real life : We weathered the snow storm that hit the DMV region (Delaware, Maryland, and Virgina) on Monday, dropping 6 inches of snow on us, as well as the smaller storm Friday night. Yesterday would have been our monthly fiber guild meeting, but with Monday’s snow still piled up along the curbs, and another few inches expected on Friday night (which didn’t actually materialize, darn it!), we rescheduled for this coming Saturday.
I have been working on an index, unpacking from our trip, and (miracle of miracles) writing a few reviews! Also drinking tea, wearing warm sweaters and handknit socks and mitts, and snuggling into blankets.
But it has been terrible seeing the news about the fires in Los Angeles. My heart goes out to all the people in the area. What they are going through is absolutely horrendous. The fear, the heartbreak, the financial devastation… you may not know this, but several major insurers cancelled fire policies in the months before this fire broke out, and it has gotten almost impossible to get new fire coverage, so some homeowners aren’t covered for their loss. And many lower and middle-class homeowners had inherited their homes, which was why they could afford to live there. They probably won’t be able to afford to rent or buy in LA now, especially since the loss of housing units will drive prices even higher. It will take decades for the area to recover (whatever that may look like), but many of the residents who’ve lost their homes never will recover, financially or emotionally.
Edited 4:30 pm EST on Sunday, 1/12, to add this: Jinjer the Intrepid Angeleno informed me in the comments below that “Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara protected Southern California homeowners by issuing a mandatory one-year moratorium on insurance non-renewals and cancellations.” That’s a piece of good news in the midst of tragedy. Thank you, Jinjer, and stay safe!
5 Good Things: Some good things from this week.
- I don’t know many people in the LA area, but the one acquaintance I’ve heard from is OK (so far.)
- We got snow. About 6 inches on Monday. It’s the most snow we have seen here since January 3, 2022. (I like snow, and we don’t get much here in our area these days.)
- I wrote several reviews and got all my challenge sign-ups posted.
- I finished knitting a cowl (for a gift) and I’m almost done with a hat (for charity, probably.)
- We’re home. I love visiting my family, and someday I would like to live closer to them, but it’s nice to be back among our own things and sleeping in our own bed.
Recent Posts
- First Sunday Post of 2025 – 1/05/2025
- 2025 Reading Challenges: Edge & Innkeeper Read-along
- My Most Anticipated Books Releasing in January–June 2025 – Top 10 Tuesday
- 2025 Reading Challenges: Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge
- 2025 Reading Challenges: 2025 Audiobook Challenge
- Sunday Post – 1/12/2025 – this post
Looking Ahead
- The Wishing Game, by Meg Shaffer – review
- Bookish Goals for 2025 – Top 10 Tuesday
- Mind Games, by Nora Roberts – review
- other reviews TBD
- Sunday Post – 1/19/2025
What I’ve Been Reading/Watching (since 7/14/2024)
Reading: I continued reading The Wishing Game by Meg Schaffer (a library book), and started On the Edge by Ilona Andrews for the read-along hosted by Books of My Heart.
Buried Deep and Other Stories, Naomi Novik’s new short story collection (ARC.)
Listening to: I had put The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd on temporary pause because my library hold for Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent (Dame Judi Dench) came in a couple of weeks ago. Dench’s book is charming, and so amazingly insightful about the plays and characters. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to finish it before the hold ran out today, so I placed another hold… but I’m #5 in line, so it will be a while. Meanwhile, I’ve started listening to The Cartographers again.
Watching: Aerial Britain, season 1; and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Playing: Pokemon Go; also Wordle, Connections, Strands, Spelling Bee, and Sudoku (all from the NYT.) And I’m back to playing Wingspan on Steam or on my phone or iPad. (Although I can barely play it on my phone; it’s really too small for my eyes to see.)
Added to the Hoard
(Click title for Goodreads page or my review.)
For Review or Consideration
Many thanks to Tor for Murder By Memory!
Gifts and Purchased (Kindle, print, or audio)
Kindle: The Black Bird Oracle; In the Blink of an Eye; Murder Most Royal
Heather
I loved Black Bird Oracle. Hope you like it.
Heather recently posted…Weekend Update
Anne - Books of My Heart
I love your care for those who are suffering. I think about those in LA and Ukraine and Gaza and worry about this world. So much focus by those who have options on money (greed) and the rest just trying to survive. Insurance and healthcare are both a struggle these days.
You are doing so well with your reading and reviews. I hope this year has a smoother time for you to enjoy your challenges and reading and blogging.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Anne – Books of My Heart recently posted…Sunday Series: The Brothers Sinister by Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com #SundaySeries
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you, Anne. I think all of us with a moral conscience must be worried about the world and the people in it.
I hope this year goes well for me in terms of reviews and blogging, too! And for you, as well.
Jinjer
Good news! Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara protected Southern California homeowners by issuing a mandatory one-year moratorium on insurance non-renewals and cancellations.
I hope you’re staying all cozy warm during this snowy time!
Jinjer recently posted…Fire!!!!
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you so much for telling me that, Jinjer. And I hope you stay safe from the fires.
Literary Feline
Snow and ice and then fire–it’s one thing or another, it seems like. My heart goes out to those in L.A. County too. It’s so awful, the loss and devastation. I really hope the coming winds don’t create more of a problem, but I fear they might. I enjoyed reading your list of good things! Coming home again after being away is such a good feeling, isn’t it? I hope you enjoy The Cartographers. I read it a couple years ago and liked it. I have another of the author’s books on my TBR shelf I need to read. Buried Deep and Other Stories is another one on my TBR waiting its turn. Your new books all look like ones I want to read. I hope you enjoy you reading and have a good week!
Literary Feline recently posted…Weekly Mewsings: Wind and Fires, Book Clubs & Reviews